Vaporization of volatile constituents of various substances without combustion by the application of heat for the purpose of inhaling said volatile constituents is a process that has been known for quite some time. U.S. Pat. No. 87,603 of Mar. 9, 1869 discloses the construction of a vaporizer that makes use of heated stones, heated metal or coals in an isolated chamber and the conduction of heat therefrom to release volatile constituents from medicinal substances in an adjacent chamber in order to make possible inhalation of said volatile constituents.
Since that time, numerous vaporizing devices of varied design and various levels of sophistication have been disclosed. Some use heat from electrical heating elements as a means to accomplish vaporization without combustion, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,104,266; 4,141,369; 4,303,083; 4,735,217; 4,907,606; 4,922,901; 4,947,874; 4,947,875; 5,060,671; 5,224,498; 5,249,586; 5,388,574; 5,388,594; 5,819,756; and 6,095,153. Other devices use the application of heat from a flame through an intermediary barrier of glass, metal, or other heat conducting material, thereby preventing direct contact of the flame with the substance to be vaporized, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 437,070; 649,521; 1,071,389; and 1,405,802. Still other devices rely on the transfer of heat from the combustion of a solid fuel source, generally a carbonaceous material, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,219,032; 4,340,072; 4,474,191; 5,042,509; 5,099,861; 5,105,831; 5,156,170; 5,345,951; and 6,598,607 (liquid fuel). And then there are a number of devices that rely on the application of internally or externally produced hot air to a vaporizable substance in order to achieve vaporization such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,993,748; 6,250,301; 6,481,437; 6,354,301; 6,513,524; and 6,532,965 (steam).
As outlined, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,141,369; 4,303,083; 5,993,748; and 6,481,437; an advantage of vaporization of a vaporizable substance over standard combustion of that same substance is the elimination of unwanted combustion byproducts and therefore a reduction in the health risks associated with inhalation of said combustion byproducts. Some devices, however, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,219,032; or 4,340,072, actually make direct use of the hot combustion gases from the fuel source for heating the vaporizable substance and therefore fail to effectively release various volatile constituents from substances while avoiding the commingling of said volatile constituents with unwanted combustion by-products.
Depending upon the particular substance to be vaporized, vaporization also has other advantages over standard combustion, such as more efficient use (i.e., less waste) of the vaporizable substance, elimination of production and release of unwanted smoke fumes into the ambient atmosphere, improved taste, etc.
Although they may effectively vaporize vaporizable substances, many of the devices referred to above also have disadvantages:
All those devices utilizing resistive electrical heating elements as heating means will necessarily require a cumbersome or non-portable source of electricity so they must either be plugged into an electrical outlet or be attached to a battery large enough to generate sufficient heat to bring about vaporization and that can accomplish its function long enough so as to not to require constant replacement.
Those devices mentioned above that utilize an enclosed or built-in flame as a heat source are too cumbersome to easily be carried in a pocket or purse. And the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,405,802, would most likely require 3 hands to operate properly if one attempted to use a hand-held lighter as the heat source rather than a self-supported standing burner as heat source.
Those devices that make use of solid fuel 1) require the purchase and supply of solid fuel rods, disks, etc. 2) release combustion products into the ambient atmosphere that may be offensive and/or hazardous to others in the vicinity as well as to the user of the device. In addition these devices pose fire hazards similar to burning cigarettes when not properly attended.
Further disadvantages include:
1) Many of the devices mentioned in all categories are expensive to produce.
2) Some of the devices hold the vaporizable substance in compartments that are hidden from view, making visual inspection and assessment of the state of the vaporizable substance more difficult once the vaporization process has begun.
3) Some devices require a continual supply of replacement parts, specialized fuel modules, or specially prepared vaporizable substances.
In addition to patented devices, there are also a number of other devices that have been disclosed in periodicals or are on the open market. In examining the various devices available, it is evident that they suffer from drawbacks similar to those outlined above. Many of these devices are quite expensive and cumbersome while the less expensive, more portable models are not completely effective at isolating combustion byproducts from desired volatile substances. In addition, some of the existing models of vaporizer require that the vaporizer, once ‘loaded’ with vaporizable substance, must be held relatively still in order to prevent the vaporizable substance from moving out of proper vaporizing position, and are thus unsuitable for transport once ‘loaded’ or for use in relatively unstable physical environments (e.g., during a bumpy car-ride).
One example of a known vaporizing device is the “ubie vaporizer” or “cheap vaporizer,” which includes a mouthpiece tube insertable within an outer vaporizer tube. The distal ends of the tubes include venting holes to establish a direct airflow path in a straight line from the atmosphere to the mouthpiece. The outer vaporizer tube is configured to receive the substance, such that the substance is in direct contact with the heated outer vaporizer tube. Accordingly, the “cheap vaporizer” heats the substance directly via conduction caused by contact with the outer vaporizer tube, resulting in lack of control. The “cheap vaporizer” additionally lacks any ability to stabilize the substance, or to humidify the substance. Furthermore, because the outer vaporizer tube is heated during use, the “cheap vaporizer” creates the danger of burns or other heat-related hazards.
Another example of a known vaporizing device is the “smoke-bubble,” consisting of an outer bubble-shaped vessel for receiving the substance, fitted with a stopper having an inlet vent and a mouthpiece tube extending into the outer vessel. Due to the shape of the outer vessel, only negligible amounts of heat are transmitted to the mouthpiece tube that is spaced far away from the outer wall. Accordingly, the “smoke-bubble” device is limited in that the substance must be placed in direct contact with the outer vessel in order to be heated, involving similar heating difficulties and dangers as set forth above.
It therefore would be desirable to provide a vaporizer: 1) that effectively separates desired volatile substances from unwanted combustion byproducts, 2) that is inexpensive to manufacture, 3) that is of such size and weight as to be easily hand-operated and portable, 4) that can operate successfully using an external or compact and portable internal heat source, 5) that regularly requires no other specialized replacement supplies such as specialized fuel rods, disks, mixtures, etc. besides the vaporizable substance itself, 6) in which the vaporizable substance can be substantially contained in the vaporization chamber once inserted and can substantially remain in proper vaporizing position even if the ‘loaded’ vaporizer is turned in space, shaken, carried in the pocket or purse, etc., 7) that allows enjoyment of the full flavor of the vaporizable constituents without metallic, combustion, or other unwanted taste, 8) in which vaporization can easily be controlled with pinpoint accuracy, and started and stopped quickly so as to avoid substantial waste of the vaporizable substance, and 9) that is preferably transparent, allowing easy visual assessment of the physical state of the vaporizable substance at any point during the vaporization process.